Criminal Background Check for Renters: What Shows Up and How Landlords Use It

What Shows Up on a Criminal Background Check for Renters

• Felony convictions (federal and state)
• Misdemeanor convictions
• Sex offender registry matches (all 50 states)
• Offense type, date, and disposition
• State and county of record
• Case/docket number for verification

What Does NOT Show Up

• Arrests without conviction (in most states)
• Charges that were dismissed or dropped
• Expunged records (where state law requires their removal)
• Offenses beyond the 7-year lookback (in states that limit this: CA, NY, KS, MD, MA, MT, NH, NM, WA)
• Juvenile records (generally sealed)
• Civil judgments or debt (that's the credit report)

For Renters: If You Have a Criminal Record, Here's What to Know

Having a criminal record doesn't automatically disqualify you from renting. Many landlords evaluate the nature, recency, and relevance of offenses rather than applying a blanket policy. Here's what works in your favor: time since the offense (7+ years with clean history since), offense type (non-violent misdemeanor vs. felony), evidence of rehabilitation, and strong rental history/references that show tenancy reliability since the offense.

HUD Guidance: Landlords Can't Categorically Deny All Applicants With Records

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued guidance clarifying that blanket policies that deny housing to all applicants with criminal records may violate the Fair Housing Act. Landlords must conduct an individualized assessment considering the nature, severity, and recency of the offense. This doesn't mean landlords must accept all applicants — it means blanket policies are legally risky.

Jurisdictions With 'Ban the Box' Rules for Housing

Several states and cities restrict when landlords can inquire about criminal history: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and parts of New York have local ordinances restricting criminal history inquiries. Oregon statewide prohibits denial based on certain older convictions. Know your local rules — both as a landlord and a renter.

For Landlords: How to Use Criminal Background Check Results

1. 1Define your criminal screening criteria in writing before reviewing any applicants
2. 2Apply your criteria to every applicant equally
3. 3For any denial based on criminal history: conduct an individualized assessment (HUD guidance)
4. 4Document your reasoning for every decision
5. 5Send an adverse action notice before denying — name the reporting agency, applicant's right to dispute

How Much Does a Criminal Background Check Cost for Renters?

When a landlord uses VerticalRent, the criminal background check costs $7.50. Landlords can choose to pay this themselves or pass the cost to the applicant (applicant-pays model). The applicant receives an invite link, pays directly ($7.50), and the landlord gets the results. Applicant-pays is the standard model in most markets.

The AI Risk Score: What Landlords See Beyond the Raw Report

VerticalRent doesn't just show landlords a raw criminal background check — it runs an AI Risk Score that synthesizes the criminal check alongside credit, eviction history, and rental history. The AI provides context: a 2009 misdemeanor with clean history since weighs very differently than a 2024 conviction. Renters with older, isolated offenses and strong rental history often score well on the AI Risk Score even if the raw criminal report shows something.